India's Supreme Court Urges Mediation in Kapur Trust Dispute

India's Supreme Court on Monday urged mediation to resolve a bitter family dispute over the Rani Kapur Family Trust, issuing notices to Priya Kapur, the wife of the late industrialist Sunjay Kapur, and 22 others in a petition filed by his 80-year-old mother, Rani Kapur.

A bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and Vijay Bishnoi, hearing the case in New Delhi, questioned the value of prolonged litigation involving an elderly litigant. "Why are you all fighting? You are 80. This is not the age for your client to fight. Go for mediation once and for all, from A to Z. Otherwise, this is a waste," the bench told lawyers for the parties. The court added that it would be in the interest of all concerned to settle the disputes peacefully and equitably, though it would hear the matter on merits if necessary. The next hearing is scheduled for May 7.

Rani Kapur's petition challenges the creation of the trust, set up in October 2017, alleging it was established through forged and fraudulent documents that transferred her assets, including interests in Sona Group companies, without her informed consent. She claims that after suffering a stroke that year, her late son Sunjay Kapur and Priya Kapur...